


aftermath

by punk_rock_yuppie



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Angst, Gen, Hopeful Ending, Hurt and Minimal Comfort, Post Infinity War, The after credits scene we deserved
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-03
Updated: 2018-05-03
Packaged: 2019-05-01 11:05:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14519136
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/punk_rock_yuppie/pseuds/punk_rock_yuppie
Summary: What comes after.





	aftermath

**Author's Note:**

> so, of course, saw infinity war this past weekend. it hurt! it hurt quite a bit. and i was pretty unimpressed w/ the after credits scene we got, so here's what i feel we shoulda got. thanks to hannah (cathect) for betaing.
> 
> enjoy!

Tony staggers off the barely-functioning ship with his stomach roiling—from what’s happened, from Nebula’s crazed flying, from not eating or drinking since this all began—to find Steve waiting for him. There’s no one else on the landing strip, not even some guards. Not even Barnes. Tony’s stomach lurches at the thought; he has a pretty good idea of what happened to Barnes. Guilt and anger burn together in his chest, but he powers through it. He stumbles off the ship and nearly falls on his face when his foot catches on a broken slat of metal.

Eventually, he stands in front of Steve. Steve, whose arms are crossed and eyes are red-rimmed. Steve, whose lips are pursed in that _way_ , that way Tony has always hated. Steve, whose shaking where he stands and looks about as stable as Tony feels—which is to say, not at all.

Tony allows himself a small grin, then says, “Half the population gone, and I’m _still_ stuck with you?”

It’s maybe, no, _definitely_ too soon to be cracking jokes like that. For a split second that feels like an eternity, Tony relives watching them all disappear. He feels the color drain out of his face and he closes his eyes to regain some semblance of control.

When he opens his eyes again, Steve is grinning back; it’s small and sad, but it’s _there_. His eyes are a little brighter and his shoulders a little less tense. Tony takes a sudden breath, as if the very sight of something other than death and destruction loosens the vice on his lungs.

“I was thinkin’ the same thing,” Steve murmurs back.

Tony’s mouth goes dry and maybe it’s because he just watched people—ones he loved, ones he barely knew—turn to dust. Maybe it’s because it’s just been _too damn long_ ; maybe it’s because he just doesn’t care anymore—

He reaches for Steve and Steve reaches for him.

He hasn’t hugged anyone in _years_. Not even Pepper, not even after their engagement. He hadn’t hugged Happy when he congratulated them; he hadn’t hugged Peter when he won his most recent academic decathlon. He hadn’t even hugged Rhodey when he finally started to walk again.

But here and now, after everything, he hugs Steve and very seriously considers never letting go. The three-inch height difference lets Steve rest his chin on Tony’s head, and normally it’d be annoying, but nothing is normal anymore. Tony bites back a sob and listens to Steve’s heart thud a million times a minute.

They pull away at the same time and Tony takes a step back. Steve’s gaze focuses on something over his shoulder, and Tony turns to look.

Nebula is watching them, leaning on the piece of shit ship that’s somehow still running. She looks unimpressed, impatient.

Tony looks back at Steve. “She’s—she’s with us.” He says shakily.

Steve takes another moment to scrutinize her, then nods. “Come on.” He motions for Tony to follow, and Tony in turn gestures to Nebula.

Nebula trails a few steps behind and Tony struggles to keep up with Steve’s quick, long strides.

“Who’s left?” He asks eventually, once they’re in the halls of the palace, still not a guard or other person in sight.

Steve’s jaw tightens. “Thor, Nat, Rocket.” At Tony’s tired, confused look, Steve actually laughs a bit. “Raccoon.”

“That explains it,” Tony mocks.

Steve shakes his head and continues. “Bruce, a few people you don’t know… Rhodes.”

Tony’s breathing catches in his chest. The elation dizzies him with how fast it takes over, and once against he has to swallow back a sob. He watches Steve’s expression, and hears all the names left unsaid.

_Sam. Bucky. Vision. Wanda._ Countless others.

Tony steels himself and nods. “So, we have a team.”

Steve looks surprised by Tony’s response, even turns to look at him with furrowed brows. “Not much of a team,” he replies lowly. “Not with what we’ve all lost.”

Tony nods again. “It’s still a team. It’s—it’s better than I thought.” Tony closes his eyes again and sees Peter beneath him, Strange insisting _this was the only way_. He shakes off the images. “It’s better than I expected,” he says.

Steve looks away as they come upon a grand doorway; or, it was once grand. Now it’s burnt and broken and crumbling. The throne room inside is singed and smells musty—like dust, and Tony cringes. As Steve and Tony enter, the crowd waiting for them comes to life. All the people Steve named are waiting, along with a few newer faces. They all turn to the door and start to murmur and whisper to each other.

Nebula pushes past them and runs to—Tony balks, the _raccoon_ standing off to the side. It’s not some heartfelt reunion, but a tension around Nebula settles somewhat. She knows the raccoon, she’s no longer on uneven, unknown ground.

Tony starts when a hand lands on his shoulder and comes face to face with Rhodey.

“Rhodey,” he chokes out, immediately pulling him into a hug. Two hugs in less than an hour, who would’ve guessed. Rhodey hugs him, pats his back, and they stay like that until Tony can pull away without shaking.

He looks over the crowd and nods to everyone he knows; the ones he doesn’t know regard him cautiously and make no move to introduce themselves. They probably know who he is anyway, and he can learn who they are later.

“This is a shitshow.” He says.

Steve laughs again, a brittle bark of a sound, and shakes his head. “That’s one way to put it.”

Tony feels bolstered by Steve’s laugh, his support; he’s pissed that it’s taken the world ending to throw them back together, but he’ll be damned if he lets this bridge stay broken any longer. He catches Bruce’s eye and returns his nod. Beside him, Rhodey is a solid presence, a reassurance. Tony swallows his pride.

“So,” Tony starts, facing away from the crowd to look up at Steve. “What do we do, Cap?”


End file.
